Running in the family: Pair of local standout athletes also share ties through their mothers

It’s pretty well-known that recently-graduated Dexter High School senior Kaeden Kennedy is one of the top baseball players in Southeast Missouri.

It’s also pretty well-known that Poplar Bluff High School junior Kolyn McBride is one of the top track sprinters in this area.

What isn’t as well-known is the two share some unique family ties. Not only are they first cousins, but their mothers are identical twins — Kerry (Milner) Kennedy and Kim (Milner) McBride.

“It’s exciting — nerve-wracking at times — but we wish we could see them compete against each other more,” Kim said about the sisters watching their sons play.

Kerry echoed her sister’s remarks.

“It’s been awesome watching them grow up,” Kerry said.

And this season was a growing experience for Kaeden. He broke his fibula in a football game against Sikeston on Sept. 2, prematurely ending his season.

“My foot got stuck behind me,” Kaeden told Semoball’s Tom Davis afterwards. “I tried to fall, but as I fell, my body got turned and my ankle didn’t turn with me.”

However, the younger Kennedy ultimately turned the injury into a positive.

“Being able to come back off an injury like that boosted my confidence quite a bit,” Kaeden said. “Especially with (my senior) season ahead in baseball and everything like that.”

And it paid off. Kaeden emerged as a leader behind the plate and on the mound for the Bearcats, earning All-SEMO Conference Tournament honors and emerging as one of the area’s better catchers. He announced his commitment last week to play college baseball next season at Mineral Area College in Park Hills, Missouri.

Kerry is excited to see her son take his game to the college diamond.

“I’m sad but I’m happy for him,” Kerry said. “I’m really happy for him. It’s the next step and he’s worked hard for it.”

Meanwhile, Kolyn is headed to this weekend’s Class 5 state track meet in Jefferson City in the 200 and as a part of the 4x200 relay team after qualifying for state in both events in last weekend’s sectional at Mules Stadium.

The younger McBride took second in the 200 at sectionals last weekend with a time of 22.35 seconds, less than three-tenths of a second behind sectional champ, Brandon Slaughter of Pattonville. He then helped the Mules earn the fourth and final state bid in the 4x200, edging out rival Jackson by more tha a second and a half.

McBride also won a SEMO North title this season in the 200 and finished second overall in the SEMO Conference.

“This year in track, it’s our first time winning districts since my freshman year — We beat SLUH by one point,” Kolyn said before last Saturday’s sectional meet, which the Mules also went on to win. “Then this year for me, it’s also been good. I finally went under 23 and 22 (seconds) this year (in the 200 meters) and it’s just great. I should place pretty good at state.”

Kolyn, who has also played football for the Mules, enjoys the bond PBHS athletes share.

“Probably just all the chemistry that all the sports have,” Kolyn said when asked what stands out the most about his high school career. “We’re all very tight. We all check up on each other and stuff like that.”

Kaeden echoes his cousin’s remarks about his time as a Dexter Bearcat.

“It’s just the chemistry all of us players have in every single sport,” Kaeden said. “We care for each other. Day in and day out, we love each other like siblings.”

Kaeden and Kolyn also have some athletes in their respective families. Kaeden’s father, Joe Kennedy, was a standout football player for the Bearcats in the late 1990s, while Kolyn’s father, Paul McBride, played basketball at Marmaduke High School in northeast Arkansas.

Additionally, Kelly Mayse — Kim and Kerry’s older brother and the boys’ uncle — was a member of the 1990 Poplar Bluff Mules football team that finished the regular season 10-0 and also a standout on the baseball diamond at PBHS.

However, the sisters have their own opinion on why their sons are such good athletes.

“They get all their athleticism from their moms,” Kerry said with a laugh

“Yeah, that’s where it all came from,” Kim added.